


With formidable prospect

by joouheika



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, Temporary Amnesia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-12
Updated: 2013-09-12
Packaged: 2017-12-26 09:59:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/964626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joouheika/pseuds/joouheika
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It'd be crude to remind Levi of his age, in case he'd forgotten that as well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	With formidable prospect

Hanji had gotten a little too close, and her speed not as desirable for survival as it should have been when Levi had whirled in and pulled her from harm’s way. He’d not been used to carrying someone of her weight, so used to another’s. He'd estimated wrongly the amount of strength he actually needed. This lead to a few, quick adjustments that resulted in their lives being saved but Levi smacking his head against roof tile.

It’d knocked him out and while head injuries are serious, and never meant to be laughed at or laughed off. Hanji had been smiling a bit when she told them all Levi would be fine. They should relax, he is humanity’s strongest soldier! His head is pretty hard she has to say, that it doesn’t seem like this injury will kill him. Some of them are assured, others not at all happy with her demeanor considering she’s the one that’d put Corporal Levi in that situation. But… that titan’s face had been particularly interesting, she’d only wanted a closer look- her eye sight wasn’t all that great you know?

Levi wakes up after a few days.

Back at HQ, he scowls at the number of people that have been in his room and that are in his room at present. That much he knows. This is his room. His personal possessions what little there are- are familiar. He knows who he is, Corporal Levi of the Survey Corps. And of the people he recognises they are those he’d been with before Wall Maria fell. He also knows how he got this injury, and why, just not where.

What else he doesn’t know is why they’re using this place of all places for HQ, again. 

It’s to their great misery, that he also doesn’t remember who the entire Special Operations Squad is. From how they address him he knows they are his, and they are familiar but outside that, what has happened after Wall Maria fell is a cloudy, patchy mystery to him.

There’s so many new recruits along with that. Not just with the manner of this occupation that had them take in new people frequently (as frequently as you could convince people to join.)

Amnesia! Hanji tells Levi’s squad though that does little to comfort them.

He has to deal with their jabbering, crying and imploring. That it is alright, he’ll remember them soon, since he’d chosen them personally! They are the elite of the elite, strong enough by his own judgment to fight by his side. They tell him stories, details, some frantic, some incomprehensible about themselves to try to make him remember.

He almost sighs.

He’d chosen them?

These people?

Maybe sometimes it’s he who fucks up, not only Hanji.

(An almost joke. He can’t even laugh at it inside, he wants to hurry up and remember everything and stop being inconvenienced by not knowing what and who.) 

Erwin steps out with Mike, seeing that Levi is alright, they nod to whoever has been waiting outside the door anxiously and that figure walks in. Levi wishes Erwin and Mike won’t leave, they’re familiar faces and at the very least they could have drag these so noisy they could be children out with them on their departure and he has no interest in seeing any more of that shitty pair of glasses than he already has. He’d been with her for far too long already- all these people in his room at once, breathing at once- they’d been wise to make sure their boots clean before entering. The boots of the person who enters suddenly in particular are carefully so. As if Levi had cleaned those boots himself, this person-

“Corporal Levi! Are you are alright?”

Young.

Unbelievably young in comparison to his unrecognizable squad.

Levi’s squad on seeing this person all light up. That's right! Out of all of them if anyone is to be recognised, surely-

He’s nervous, this boy- but eventually falls before Levi’s bedside and grips his hands over Levi’s. Drawing his face close, crouching, bending towards Levi searching for any form of answer. His brow scrunched in concern, his mouth frowning. Though all the lines of his expression are harsh (his thick brow almost reminds Levi of Erwin) his mouth is soft, his hands while calloused are soft as well in comparison to Levi’s. They’re scarred in places, bitten.

Levi’s mind completely blanks out on why this person has approached him so familiarly, instead he is lost, captivated, drowning in this person’s gaze. Green blue, more beautiful than any jewel he’s ever snitched, beseeching it looks to him, beckons him and when Levi still gives no reply-

“Excuse me sir. I did not greet you properly. Welcome back.”

Levi’s heart skips a beat.

This person is.

Cute.

Unbearably.

Levi leans forward, this person is close enough. The entire room is dead silent to what it’d been before. However it is not silent to Levi whose heart feels like it’s going to topple out (gross) onto his lap, onto the floor, as he draws his face closer and can’t resist kissing the soft mouth of this person. Who gives out a small yelp of surprise before swiftly arching back, away.

“Am I actually dead?”

Levi is asking.

In the same manner of tone he would order them to shoot a flare as signal, to draw water for the horses, to ready their swords. 

It’s unfair, this person tries to draw away, after teasing him so. Levi catches his chin and holds it in place, draws it back towards him. This person’s hands are gripping the blankets about his lap. Levi’s grip tightens as he leans to look closer at this person’s face. It's pretty, no matter what angle Levi sees of it he can’t see anything he doesn’t like. He breathes against this person- this boy’s mouth, the slight whimper he receives satisfactory.

“You… are you an angel?”

Silently screaming is an understatement to what the Special Operations Squad is doing right now. Guther has had to hold Erd back, and Petra has decided she has enough chivalry in her heart to make sure Auruo doesn’t smack his head right against the ground (“Imitating Corporal Levi again?! Now isn’t the time for that!”) when he’d nearly fainted.

They’re all at the ready.

It is their job to protect Eren.

Corporal Levi had assigned them this duty but right now to do that duty they’d have to… fight Corporal Levi…?

Eren snaps out from Levi’s grip.

They all take a step back. They cannot see his face. But from his voice, a tone that of which they’d never heard the likes of being used before towards Corporal Levi from Eren- they’re more than a little certain while Eren is likable as a person, their diligent hardworking new recruit. But there is no doubt in their minds that a monster resides in him, is part of him.

“You are mistaken sir. You are alive!”

That Corporal Levi would be otherwise, Eren will not forgive it.

This whole time Corporal Levi has not taken his eyes from Eren’s face.

The sudden bout of fury of before that Eren had been driven into is subdued, restrained with Levi’s glare, his stare as it bores Eren down being directly upon him.

“Name.”

When Eren is not quick to reply Levi is quick to repeat his orders, perhaps one of the only times he does so.

“What is your name, shitty brat.”

Eren is confused.

He salutes, if this is some sort of test-

“My name is Eren Yeager sir!”

Levi is contemplative before finally turning his gaze to glance back to the rest of his squad, before looking upon Eren once more-

“Eren Yeager.”

“Yes sir!”

“Won’t you become mine?”

Eren’s confusion knows no bounds.

“Corporal Levi… what are you talking about…”

A lack of manners surely but a lack of restraint… Levi’s squad has never seen the Corporal like this before. They are still recovering from their shock that Levi had not recognised Eren. Then atop of that, while Eren is new- he is a key, integral person to their existence as his squad. Their Corporal Levi while only knowing half the details is going with the flow, and has assumed Eren to be of meager standing. Even that being so- he has offered Eren a position besides him, merely by looking upon him he’s made this decision

“Corporal Levi! Eren is already one of us. Do you not recognise him either?”

Petra speaks out, wanting to get to the bottom of this swiftly.

Eren turns to her sharply.

“Ms Petra what are you saying-”

Guther addresses Eren, letting go of Erd who no longer needs restraint.

“Corporal Levi has lost some of his memory.”

Erd is nodding aside him, concerned.

“He doesn’t recognise any of us.”

Eren hears a sharp tsk as Auruo chides him, arms crossed.

“You didn’t catch on to any of that didja Eren?”

Petra kicks Auruo in the shin, telling him to quit it already. They all worriedly turn to look at Corporal Levi who has turned out from his blankets and stands irritated on his not as clean as it could be therefore it is dirty floor. His slippers are missing so he’ll bear it. He walks the few steps that separate him and-

“Eren.”

The way Corporal Levi says Eren’s name makes them think the few moments before, agonizing, have all been a bad joke. That Levi knew them, Eren- all along. Yes, a shitty joke surely.

It’s not a joke.

Eren jumps at Levi’s sudden touch. Curious against his face first before trailing down the side of his neck to clasp at his shoulder.

“How did someone such as yourself come to be in the Survey Corps?”

There is no confusion in Eren’s expression as he replies. He folds a hand over the one at his shoulder and stares directly into Levi’s inquisitive look.

“Do you really not remember? It is for the same reason you joined as well sir. To kill every single last titan!”

Levi leans closer, his grip on Eren’s shoulder tighter.

“Not bad.”

\--

Even after all that Levi still doesn’t remember Eren.

Or his squad.

Gradually he comes to remember some instances with them. About them. It comes back chronologically, in time he’ll remember Eren too. Surely.

Everyone hopes that time will be soon.

While Eren is usually at Levi’s side, Levi is more insistent upon it now. If possible, his temper even shorter than it’d been. He’s even more violent than before. Anyone who tries to talk to Eren, look at him without Levi’s prior consent is either kicked, punched, or ordered to do some demeaning filthy work (like cleaning out all the horse stalls or washing the privies) with ten or so death threats of the most horrific endings attached to it (many that are more horrific at times than being eaten alive by a titan) should they not be quick to grovel or fuck off. Even that doesn’t always save them and soon Eren is even more isolated than before.

Levi allows exceptions to the Special Operations Squad in this aspect. He’d chosen them to be besides him and Eren after all. He can’t deprive them of a purpose he doesn’t remember when he has not a new one to grant them.

They’re all getting rather sick of it though. How Levi sometimes doesn’t bother to wait until he and Eren are alone, to slide a hand about Eren’s hip, along his back, occasionally pressing a kiss or a caress to Eren’s neck. Eren is getting sick of it too. Levi has always been a private person when it comes to this sort of thing; that a botched up memory would spur him to not always abide with how he’d been is unreasonably terrifying.

And Corporal Levi had already been so terrifying before.

They try to hurry along the process.

Try to repeat what has happened before often. Sometimes they don’t have to try. Petra and Auruo bickering. Erd asking for advice on a certain belt strap that always wanted to tangle. Guther on what amount of force should be put in a horizontal strike. Advice they’d wanted, training they’d discussed, other important topics, all Levi seems to recall, except those on Eren.

Eren is frustrated.

Would Corporal never remember him?

When Eren protests against Levi’s advances Levi insists on what he has been told by the rest of them.

Eren is already one of theirs so he’s already Levi’s. Isn’t that so?

When they are in private Eren doesn’t mind much.

Levi is almost without restraint then. It’s nice to hear what Levi thinks, as he buries a hand in Eren’s soft hair, massages his scalp, his neck and shoulders, his back and further. A hand possessively held against the back of his neck, the small of his back.

Cute. Corporal Levi would call him, many times, how cute his Eren is- along with other things Eren isn’t entirely sure is appropriate for him… or anyone to hear.

Eren even feels a little guilty sometimes, at the other things Corporal Levi says to him. Almost desperately when Eren is hesitant to accept his touches (leaning away) his kisses, almost feverishly Levi tells him he’ll be sure to protect him, he’ll be sure to treasure him, if Eren could just lean a little closer, if Eren could kiss him back then-

Occasionally Eren will. He has to scold Corporal Levi for the one time he pretends to have remembered something in order to delight Eren. It hadn’t been hard to bust him, and Levi had seemed even guilty for trying. He’d made Eren a cup of tea with an especially large amount of milk and honey in an attempt to make it up to him- giving Eren an idea.

He resumes making Levi’s tea.

One morning, he makes Levi his tea as he always does (black), along with buttered toast and some eggs (hard boiled).

Eren recalls the last time he’d made this Corporal Levi had enjoyed it…

Setting the saucered cup and plate before Levi at his desk where he isn’t sure he can handle paperwork for events he either has no memory of or does not give a shit on (Erwin had told him to try, and what he couldn’t manage or rather can’t be fucked to bullshit, he and Mike would just handle it later), Levi looks over to Eren. Sees his more frequent as of late, hopeful face, determined and eager.

The more Levi sees of this face the louder his heart gets.

Eren doesn’t give up no matter what-

“How is it sir?”

Eren had made the eggs hardboiled because Levi hates the mess yolk makes when runny, but he’s still gotten some on his face. Eager to eat the meal Eren had made him.

“Marry me.”

Eren ignores that.

“The tea?”

The cup is already empty.

“You may make me another cup. Make one for yourself as well.”

Eren does so and manages to convince Levi that he won’t sit in his lap until he’s finished this second cup of tea, the food long gone. Levi doesn’t insist on Eren sharing a cup with him from his cup because of all things to recall, it’s how Eren likes his tea that he’s first remembered. Eren informs him such. Tea with what is too much milk to Levi’s standards. When Levi wants to drink milk he’ll just drink milk, the amount Eren has in his tea is truly how children would drink it. 

Drawing on this starting point, Eren continues to make Levi breakfast, his tea- until finally one morning-

Erwin lets him out from the dungeon and escorts him to Levi’s room. Levi won’t open the door to anyone else (or allow it to be barged into, Hanji had almost lost some fingers when she’d thought trying to melt the door handle would allow them to have their way). When told Eren would be coming up to see him Levi finally unlocks the door, promising more than hacked off fingers to anyone who’d try to enter in Eren’s stead.

He’s still in bed even as Eren shuts the door.

A hand pressed against his brow as if he’s nursing a headache that’s bigger than the boulder Eren had used to plug the breach at Trost.

“I heard you have regained your memory entirely sir. Congratulations.”

Levi takes his hand from his brow to glare at him.

“Don’t give me that. Not when there’s a ton of shit that’s happened recently I’d like to forget.”

Levi is glaring at him like it’s his fault.

Eren tenses up, glancing back and away at Corporal Levi, still at attention, even as he trembles. A little.

“You really think so?”

Levi turns away from him and glares at his blankets instead.

If he could only have them set ablaze after he’s wrapped himself in them.

“The fuck do you think Eren?”

He feels Eren’s weight (the weight he’s used to) make the mattress dip, as he sits down, a hand splayed over Levi’s knee as he tells him, after a few measured moments of hesitance-

“I think… while it’s understandable you are embarrassed. Not all of it was bad.”

Levi pulls Eren to him, pushes him against his pillow as he climbs atop of him and pins him down.

“Did you like it? All that sappy bullshit I spouted at you? Just because I wanted you to let me fuck you already. You were rather frigid. Even though I know how hot you are actually inside-”

Eren strains against his hold to hover his mouth over Levi’s.

“But you didn’t remember that warmth until just recently, Corporal Levi.”

Levi’s glare could definitely kill all the titans.

Eren kisses him, apologises for going a bit too far. Levi isn’t going to let him get away with just that.

“Maybe I would have sooner if you’d let me inside, Eren.”

Levi feels Eren’s lips curl against his cheek. That pisses him off.

“I’ll let you in now if you remember to call my name exactly as that. Or perhaps it isn't amnesia that's affecting your memory?”

The amount of times Eren’s head hits the back of Levi’s bed’s headboard leaves them to wonder how it isn’t Eren this time that has amnesia come morning. 

Eren doesn’t care. It'd been worth it. Levi had called his name exactly as he’d wanted.


End file.
